PARSIPPANY, N.J., March 24, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), one of the world's largest hospitality providers and an industry leader in sustainability best practices, is participating in the Earth Hour global initiative by turning its lights down and encouraging energy conservation. This is the sixth year that Wyndham Worldwide will join Earth Hour (earthhour.org) to raise awareness of global energy efforts.

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The Company is recognizing Earth Hour at its corporate headquarters in Parsippany, N.J., by switching off its lights during the hour and encouraging associates to turn off lights, monitors and other electronics before leaving the building. Additionally, Wyndham Worldwide is encouraging its global portfolio of brands to participate by turning off or dimming non-essential lighting, with some properties also planning creative offerings for guests such as candlelight dinners.

Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour 2015 will take place Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. local time. During the hour, individuals, businesses and governments around the world turn out their lights to demonstrate their commitment to environmentally sustainable action. Since its start in 2007, the annual event has grown into the single largest mass participation event in the world with more than 5 million supporters in over 150 countries.

"As a global hospitality leader with businesses across virtually every segment of hospitality, we have an ever increasing opportunity, and responsibility as a corporate citizen, to be a leader in reducing our impact on the environment," said Faith Taylor, senior vice president of corporate social responsibility, Wyndham Worldwide.

In fact in 2013, the Company achieved a nearly 13 percent reduction in carbon emissions and 16 percent reduction in water per square foot of its operationally controlled assets versus the baseline.

As part of its overall Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, Wyndham Worldwide aligns business performance with a responsible approach in its operations around the world. The Company's sustainability practices are created and driven by its Wyndham Green program. Launched in 2006, the program is based on the Company's vision and core values of enhancing customers' lives by improving the environment, supporting global and local communities, and developing sustainable programs that deliver economic benefits. It works to deliver "triple bottom line" results for its people, the planet and profits, while also driving leadership in the industry and providing the mechanism to turn innovative ideas into achievable results.

"Corporate Social Responsibility remains among our top strategic intents, and not only do we measure success on our results, but also on the responsible way in which we achieve those results. It is critical to the success of our business and our ability to meet our customers' growing needs and expectations," said Taylor. "Our participation in the Earth Hour global initiative is just one way we help raise awareness of the importance of energy conservation and our commitment to sustainable business practices across our properties."

For more information on how to participate in Earth Hour or Wyndham's sustainability efforts, please visit www.WyndhamGreen.com or www.EarthHour.org.

About Wyndham Worldwide
One of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) provides a wide range of hospitality services and products through its global portfolio of world-renowned brands. The world's largest hotel company based on the number of properties, Wyndham Hotel Group is home to many of the world's best-known hotel brands, with over 7,600 franchised hotels and approximately 661,000 hotel rooms worldwide. Wyndham Exchange & Rentals is the worldwide leader in vacation exchange and the world's largest professionally managed vacation rentals business, providing more than 5 million leisure-bound families annually with access to over 107,000 vacation properties in over 100 countries through its prominent exchange and vacation rental brands. The industry and timeshare ownership market leader, Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets, and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 200 vacation ownership resorts serving approximately 904,000 owners throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Based in Parsippany, NJ, Wyndham Worldwide employs over 34,000 associates globally.

For more information, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.

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SOURCE Wyndham Worldwide